Elevator system having selective operating modes



Sept. 18, 1951 J. suozzo 2,568,418

ELEVATOR SYSTEM HAVING SELECTIVE OPERATING MODES Filed March 17, 1950 L+3 Fig.2. B30

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Down Service Switch Down Service Signal Potent Fig. l

n vy nes I Fig. 4. Down Service Switch am Top Fioor A INVENTOR m John Suozzo.

FUN u-a ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 ELEVATOR SYSTEM HAVING SELECTIVE OPERATING MODES John Suozzo, North Arlington, N. J., Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

assignor to East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,257

14 Claims. 1

- This invention relates to an elevator system havin selective operating modes and it has particular relation to an elevator system having an elevator car which may be selectively conditioned for operation as a high zone or low zone car for equalizing service in various zones of a structure served by the elevator car.

It long has been known that in many elevator installations during certain periods of the day certain landings or floors of a structure may monopolize elevator service. In order to equalize the service furnished to the landings or floors of a structure, there has been a steadily growing tendency to employ an elevator installation wherein the floors or landings of a structure or building may be divided into a plurality of zones, such as a high zone and a, low zone. An elevator car for such an installation may be designed to provide a plurality of selective operating modes. For example, an elevator car may be designed to operate as a high zone elevator car or a low zone elevator car. The specific mode of operation for the elevator car is varied in accordance with the varying service demand encountered in the structure served by the elevator car.

Suitable zone elevator systems are disclosed in the E. M. Bouton et a1. Patent 2,376,113; the Williams et al. Patent 2,376,218 and the Santini Patent 2,492,010. The invention may be employed in any of the systems disclosed in the above-mentioned patents and to conserve space, the invention will be described with particular reference to the system disclosed in the Bouton et a1. patent.

In the Bouton et al. patent, an elevator system is installed in a building having terminal landings or floors and a plurality of intermediate landings or floors located between the terminal floors. Each of the intermediate floors is provided with an up push button and a down push button for the purpose of registering floor calls for elevator service. Th upper terminal floor may have a single down push button, whereas the first terminal floor generally does not require a'push button, but may have an up push button if so desired.

The nature of the demand for elevator service varies appreciably for each building and generally varies appreciably during the day. For example, in the morning, the demand for elevator service in the usual office building principally is from the lower terminal floor where passengers enterin the building desire to be carried to the higher floors of the building. A similar demand for service occurs after the lunch hour. Immediately before lunch hour and at the close of the business day, the demand for service primarily is from passengers located on the floors above the lower terminal floor who desire to be carried to the lower terminal floor. If suitable precautions are not taken, the intending passengers on the higher floors fill the elevator cars and force intending passengers on the lower floors to wait an unreasonably long time for service. During the remainder of the day, trafiic in the two directions may be fairly well balanced.

In order to provide good elevator service under the foregoing varied conditions, Bouton et a1. when desirable, divide the floors of a building into a high zone and a low zone. The elevator cars installed in the building may be selectively adjusted for high zone operation or low zone operation. 7

When an elevator car is adjusted for high zone operation, it may run from the lower terminal floor to a higher terminal floor Or at least to the highest registered call for service. As the elevator car travels up, it answers all up floor calls and all calls registered by passengers within the elevator car. As the elevator car travels down. it answers all down calls registered by intending passengers at the various floors and all calls registered by passengers within the elevator car.

If the elevator car is adjusted for low zone operation, the elevator car attendant is instructed to accept no up passengers. Consequently, the elevator car runs rapidly to an upper terminal floor or to the highest call for service, if it is intended to reverse at the highest call for service. During the return of the elevator car to the lower terminal floor, the car accepts down calls from intending passengers at the various floors and car-calls registered by passengers within the elevator car.

If a predetermined demand for service is received from floors of the low zone, the low zone elevator car, if traveling up in the low zone, will stop and reverse at the highest of the low zone down calls. During its return to the lower terminal floor, the elevator car accepts all down calls from the low zone floors. Should the low zone car be in the high zone at the time the service demand is reached, it returns promptly to the low zone and accepts the down calls in the low zone. The predetermined service demand may be based on the number of calls received from the low zone floors.

The adjustment of an elevator car for zone operation may be determined by a special-service switch. If the variations in service demand are provided for notifying a car attendant that his car has been selected for low zone or high zone operation as desired. This signalmay b'e -op'e'r ated in response to operation of the special serv ice switch. Preferably, the initial operation of the signal to notify the car attendant that his car is assigned for low zone operation 11S? effected only when the car is set for down travel.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a switch which may be employed in an elevator controlled by the system of Fig. 2.

The invention can be described readily by illustrating and discussing the additions required for a prior art system such asone of the systems illustrated in the aforesaid patents.- In order to conserve space, the invention will be described as applied to the elevator system illustrated and described in the Bouton et al. Patent 2,376,113

' j and the drawings and specification of the Bouton et al. patent are specifically incorporated herein.- When components similar to those illus- This permits the car attendant to complete any trip which he has started prior'to the" selection of his elevator car for low zone service.

As a further aspect of the invention, the selection of an elevator car for operation as a low zone car prevents the eievawrc'ar f'r stopping in response: to car-calls registered during one direction of travel of the elevator car, usually the up direction. This prevents the inadvertent or intentional registration of cai"call's' during an up trip by the ear attendant or by car passange'rs from interfering from the intended operation of the system.

Preferably the assignment of an elevator car for low zone operation prevents entirely the registration of a car-callduring a trip of the elevator car in one direction, usually the up direction. This further warns the car attendant and car passengers that the car will riot respond to carcalls during up travel thereof. I

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an elevator system having an elevator car-which maybe selectively-operated in any of a plurality of modes with a signal for indicating to the car attendant the specific mode of opera tion assigned to his elevator car.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator system for a building having a high zone and a low zone of floors an elevator car which ma be selected for high or low zon'e operation with a signal responsive to the selection of the elevator car for high zone'or "low zone operation which signal notifies the car attendant of the "ens-sci operation for which this elevator car is assigned.

It is also an object of the invention to' pro" vide an elevator system having an elevator"'dar which may be selected for high zone or low zone operation with means for controlling the -response of the elevator car to floor calls in accordance with the selection of the elevator carior high zone or low zone operation.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an elevator system wherein an elevator car may be assigned for low'zone or high zone operation andwherein the selectionof theelevator car for low zone operation prevents registration of car-calls during travel of the elevator car in a predetermined direction. d

Other objects of the invention will be" apparent from the following discussion taken in conjihiotion with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a view in elevation with partsbroken away of an elevator system which may incorporate the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a schematic View of an elevator control system which embodies the invention;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation for the system of Fig. 2; and

of a'relay suitable applied thereto.

trated' by Bouton er; al. are included in the present drawing; the same reference characters are The additions to the Bouton et 931. system will be described in detail below.

The invention is applicable to an elevator system having any desired-number of elevator cars for serving buildings having various numbers of floors; However, as in the case of the Bouton et al. patent,'the invention will be described with reference to two elevator cars A and B which are installed in a building having seven floors or landings, and the same conventions employed the Benton et al. patent will be here employed.

Each of the elevator carsmay be similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. Figure 1 shows the elevator car A connected by a rope or cable :0 to a counter-weight l2. The rope [0 passes over a sheave II which is rotated in a conventional manner by an elevator-motor and a control system. The elevator car A is operated between the two terminal floors or landings and serves a plurality of intermediate floors or landings. Each of the intermediate floors or landings has an'up push button and a down push buttonwhich may be operated for the purpose of registering up and down calls for elevator service. For example, the push button station for the second floor includes the up push button 2U and 2D which are respectively the up and down push buttons. The lower terminals floor may have a single up push button lUand the upper terminal floor may have a single down push button 1D. I

In Figure 2, a "control system is illustrated for the elevator cars A and YB. This system is exactly similar to the system illustrated in the aforesaid Bouton, et al. Jp'atent, except for the additions hereinafter pointed out. The additions all are on the portions of the Bo'utonet al. system illustratedin their Figure 4, and 'a portion of the Bouton et al. Figure 4 is shown in detail in the present Figure 2.

The following relays or contacts of the following relays are shown in the Bouton -.et al. system and in the detailed portion of the system illustrated in the present Figure 2:

M-Car running relay T'eCaf-callstoppiiig' relay directi'on prefer'ence relay XDown direction preference relay I Relays common to all-cars }Down call-storing relays.

BUR

SUR Up call-storing relays.

For conveniencaa brief review of some of the of one or'more of the push buttons 20 to 10. These push buttons normally are open. They are made of magnetic material and when operated, each of the push buttons completes a magnetic circuit for one of the holding coils 200 to Ice. Consequently, if a push button is actuated and if its holding coil is energized, the push button will remain operated to register the call until the associated holding coil is deenergized. The holding coils are connected in series for energization through one of the sets of contacts W4 and X4.

These contacts both are momentarily open whenever the direction of travel of the elevator car is reversed. Consequently, all car push buttons are reset when the elevator car A reverses.

- The push buttons 20 to lo, respectively, control the connection of the up contact segments a2 to al to the bus L+3. Also they control the connection of the down contact segments hi to 71.6 to the same bus L+3.

The stopping of the elevator car A in response 'to car-calls is controlled in part by energization of the car-call stopping relay T. During down travel of the elevator car, the car-call stopping relay T is connected between a brush 43 and the bus L3 through contacts M3 of the car running relay and contacts X3 of the down direction preference relay. The brush 43 coacts with the floors for which car-calls are registered.

The high car-call relay H is connected between the bus L-3 and a brush 3!! which coacts with the segments a2 to al. The high car-call relay 6 can be energized only if no car-calls exist for a floor above the position of the elevator car. As explained in the Bouton et al. patent, the high car-call relay is employed for preventing reversal of the elevator car when the elevator car is traveling up as long as a car-call for a floor above the position of the elevator car is registered.

Figure 2 also shows a number of the floor push buttons and associated circuits which appear in Figure 4 of the Bouton et al. patent. For example, an up push button EU is located at the sixth floor. When this push button is operated by an intending passenger, the up call-storing relay BUR is energized and closes its make contacts SURI to establish a self-holding circuit. This connects segments b6 and Bbli to the bus L+3. As a further example, the down push button 6D for the sixth floor, when operated, energizes the down call-storing relay 6DR. This results in the connection of the contact segments g6 and BgS to the bus L+3.

Inasmuch as the floor call stopping relay S for the car A does not appear in the detailed portion of Figure 2, the operation of the corresponding relay BS for the car B will be reviewed briefly. If the elevator car .8 is set for up travel, its up direction preference relay is energized and the contacts BW and BWB are closed. If an up call has been registered by an intending passenger at the sixth floor, a circuit will be completed for the floor call stopping relay BS when the brush B32'reaches the contact segment B116. This 00- ours as the elevator car. 13 approachesthe sixth floor and stops the elevator car at the sixth floor in the manner discussed in the Bouton et al. patent. Also as the elevator car nears the sixth floor, the brush B33 engages the contact segment B06 to energize the cancellation coil BURN for the purpose of cancelling the call which is being answered by the elevator.

If the elevator car B is located at the 7th floor and is set for down travel, the down direction preference relay is energized and the contacts BX5 and BXG are closed. If a down call has been registered by an intending passenger at the sixth floor, the brush B42 engages the contact segment Bg6 as the elevator car approaches the sixth floor. This results in energization of the floor call stopping relay BS to stop the elevator car at the siXth floor. Also as the car nears the sixth floor, the brush B4! engages the contact segment Bf6 to energize the cancellation coil GDRN. This can- 7 cels the call which is being answered by the elevator car.

If the elevator car B is assigned for low zone operation, the switch BI 9a is opened. This prevents the elevator car from answering up floor calls.

In accordance with the invention, a down service relay N is provided for modifying the operation of an elevator car assigned for low zone operation. As shown in Figure 3, the down service relay N includes three sets NI, N2 and N3 of back or break contacts which open when the relay is energized. Also the relay has two sets, N4 and N5, of front or make contacts which close when the relay is energized.

As shown in Figure 2, the energization of the relay N is controlled in part by contacts I of the down service switch. The down service switch i9 is shown in detail in Figure 4. Thisswitch is similar to the switch 19 shown in Figure 1 of the Bouton et al. patent except for the addition of a third set of contacts I90. The sets of contacts areinsulated from each other. When the elevator car A is conditioned for high zone operation, the switch l9 occupies the position illustrated in Figure 4, wherein the contacts I So are closed and the contacts 191) and 19c are open. When the elevator car A is conditioned for low zone operation, the down service switch 19' is positioned to open the contacts [9a and to close the contacts l9b and l9c. The push button switch 21 also appears in Figure 4. As explained in the Bouton et al. patent, this switch is operated to by-pass calls.

Referring again to Figure 2, it will be noted that closure of the contacts of the down service switch prepares the down service relay N for energization. The energizing circuit is completed through contacts X9 which are opened when the elevator car A is set for up travel and which are closed when the elevator car A is set for down travel. Although the contacts X9 may b manually operated by the car attendant, preferably they are make or front contacts of the down direction preference relay X of the Bouton et al. patent. Consequently, if the elevator car is set for up travel at the time it is assigned for low zone operation, it will complete its up trip before the assignment is effective. Upon energization, the down service relay N closes its make contacts N4 to complete a self-holding circuit around the contacts X9. The relay N thereafter remains energized until the switch I9 is again manipulated to open the contacts I90 and cancel the low zone assignment. 1

The energization of the down service relay N results in closure of its make contacts N to com plete an energizing circuit for a suitable down service signal. This signal may be of any type suitable for advising the car attendant that his car is assigned for low zone operation. In the specific embodiment of Figure 2, the down service signal takes the form of a lamp SIG which is located within the elevator car A. Consequently, if the down service switch is operated to its lowzone position, the car attendant is notified that his car is assigned for low zone operation as soon as his car is set for down travel. The signal thereafter remains illuminated until the down service switch again is operated to cancel the assignment of the car for low zone operation.

The down service relay also has its break contacts NI connected in series with the high carcall relay H. Consequently, when the elevator car is assigned for low zone operation, the high car-call relay H can not be energized and can not affect, in any way, the reversal of the elevator warns the car attendant and car passengers that the car is assigned for low zone operation and does not respond to car-calls during up travel. To this end, the break contacts N3 are connected in series with the make contacts W4 of the up direction preference relay. It will be recalled that the break contacts N3 are open during the entire assignment of the car for low zone operation. Consequently, during up travel of the elevator car, the holding coils Zcc to Ice are not energized. Even if the car attendant opcrates one of the car buttons during up travel of the car, the car button promptly returns to the unoperated position as soon as it is released by the car attendant.

Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments thereof, numerous modifications embodying the invention are possible and fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An elevator system for a structure having terminal landings and a plurality of intermediate landings, said elevator system having an elevator car, call-registering means operable from the landings for registering calls from the landings, driving means for moving the elevator oar between the terminal landings at least to the farthest of the calls in the direction of travel of the car, control means responsive to registration of said calls for stopping the elevator car at landings for which calls are registered, and special-service means operable for conditioning the elevator car under predetermined conditions for reversal when traveling in a predetermined direction at an intermediate point even though calls are registered for landings ahead of the elevator car in said predetermined direction; in combination with a signal for an attendant in the elevator car, and operating means responsive to operation of the special-service means for opcrating the signal to notify the car attendant that the car is assigned for special service operation.

2. An elevator system as claimed in claim '1 wherein the operating means is effective only when the elevator car is set for travel in a pro; determined direction for operating the signall 3. An elevator system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the signal when once operated remains operated until cancellation of the assignment, 0 the elevator car forspecial service. 1

v i. An elevator system for a structure having terminal landings and a plurality of intermediate landings, said elevator system having an elevator car, call-registering means operable from the landings for registering calls from the land ings, driving means for moving the elevator car between the terminal landings at least to the farthest of .the calls in the direction of travel of the car, car-call means operable from within the car for registering calls forlahdings desired by car passengers, control means responsive to registration of said calls for stopping the elevator car at landings for which calls are registered, and special-service means operable for conditioning the elevator car under predetermined conditions for reversal when traveling in a predetermined direction at an intermediate point even though calls are registered from landings ahead of the elevator car in said predetermined direction; in combination with call-controlling means responsive to operation of the specialservice means for preventing response of the elevator car while the elevator car is set for travel in said predetermined direction to calls for landings by passengers of the elevator car.

5. A system as claimed in claim .4 wherein th call-controlling means in response to operation, of the special-service means prevents registration of calls by the car-call means only while the elevator car is set for travel in said predetermined direction.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4 in combination with signalling means responsive to operation of the special-service means for signalling an attendant in the elevator car that the car is assigned for special-service operation.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the special service means is manually operable and is initially efiective for said conditioning of the elevator car only while the elevator car is set for travel in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6 in combination with high-car-call means responsive to the farthest car-call in said predetermined direction of travel of the elevator car for preventing a revorsal of the elevatorcar until the farthest carcall is answered, and means responsiveto operation of the special service means for rendering the high-car-call means ineffective for preventing said. reversal of the elevator oar.

9. An elevator system fora structure having terminal landings and a plurality of intermediate landings, said elevator system having an elevator car, car-call means operabl from within the elevator car forregistering calls for landings desired by car passengers, high-car-call means reponsive to the farthest of the calls in the direction of travel of the elevator car, driving means responsive to the high-car-call means for moving the elevator car between th terminal landings at least to the farthest of the calls in the direction oftravel of the car, control means responsive to registration of said calls for stopping .the elevatoroar at landings for which calls are registered, and special-service means operable for conditioning the elevator car under predetermined conditions for reversal when traveling in a predetermined direction at an intermediate point between the terminal landings, in combination with call-controlling means responsive to operation of the special-service means for rendering the high-car-call means ineffective for controlling the driving means only while the elevator car is set for travel in said predetermined direction.

10. An elevator system for a structure having vertically-spaced terminal landings and a plurality of intermediate landings, said elevator system having an elevator car, up call-registering means and down call-registering means operable from each of the intermediate landings for registering respectively up calls and down calls from the intermediate landings, driving means for moving the elevator car between the terminal landings at least to the farthest of the calls in the direction of travel of the car, control means responsive to registration of said calls for stopping the elevator car at landings during up travel of the elevator for which up calls are registered and at landings during down travel of the elevator car for which down calls are registered, and special-service means operable for conditioning the elevator car under predetermined conditions for reversal when traveling in the up direction at an intermediate point even though up calls are registered for landings ahead of the elevator car; in combination with a signal for an attendant in the elevator car, and operating means responsive to operation of the special-service means for operating the signal to notify the car attendant that the car is assigned for specialservice operation.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the operating means is efiective for operating the signal only when the elevator car is set for travel in the down direction, and wherein the signal when once operated remains operated until cancellation of the assignment of the elevator car for special service.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said control means in response to operation of the special-service means is rendered ineffective for answering calls registered by the up callregisterirrg means.

13. A system as claimed in claim 10 in combination with car-call control means operable from within the elevator car for registering carcalls for landings desired by passengers within the car, said control means being responsive to said car-calls for stopping the elevator car at landings for which car-calls are registered, and call-controlling means responsive to operation of the special-service means for preventing response of the elevator car to car-calls only while the elevator car is set for travel in an up direction.

14. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said control means in response to operation of the special-servic means is rendered ineffective for answering calls registered by the up callregistering means, and wherein said specialservice means conditions the elevator car for reversal at or below a predetermined intermediate floor provided at least a predetermined number of down calls are registered for landings at or below the predetermined intermediate landing.

JOHN SUOZZO.

No references cited. 

